| Sabacon Temporal range: | |
|---|---|
 | |
| S. cavicolens | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Opiliones |
| Family: | Sabaconidae Dresco, 1970 [1] |
| Genus: | Sabacon Simon, 1879 [2] |
| Type species | |
| Sabacon paradoxus Simon, 1879 [2] | |
| Species | |
Sabacon cavicolens
| |
| Diversity | |
| > 50 species | |
Sabacon is a genus of the monotypic harvestman family Sabaconidae, [2] [1] with 59 species (as of 2023). [3]
Species of the genus Sabacon have usually thickened pedipalps with stiff, fine hairs, which is unique among harvestmen. Although the small eye tubercle is usually not ornamented, there is a spine on one Nepalese species. Males have long, thin legs, females are stouter. [4]
While the Asian and North American species are easy to differentiate from one another by male genital traits. The various European species are very similar to each other, and can be closely related to Sabacon cavicolens from the eastern United States. Another American species Sabacon mitchelli , which, like the larger S. cavicolens also occurs in the eastern United States, notably lacks cheliceral glands in the male. Species from the western United States seem closely related to Asian forms. Sabacon astoriensis , initially collected from dried seaweed and debris in beach dunes from Oregon, is morphologically similar to the Asian species Sabacon dentipalpis and Sabacon makinoi . [4]
Sabacon species exhibits a wide, yet highly disjunct, distribution. Species can be found throughout North America, Europe, and Asia, [3] [5] though individual species usually have very restricted distributions. [6] [7] [8]
The genus Sabacon is widespread in the temperate northern hemisphere, even extending into the subarctic, with the most southern records from caves in the southeastern United States and high elevations in Nepal. The center of diversification seems to be in Asia, where many species were described from Japan, Korea and Nepal. Some species occur in Europe. [4] [8]
Almost all Sabacon species prefer moist, cool microhabitats, and many species live in caves, but none are modified for cave life. Outside of caves they are often found in forests or shaded ravines. [4]
The name of the type genus is supposedly derived from "Sabacon", an Egyptian ruler. [9] Consequentially, genus name is treated as masculine, although before its derivation was clarified some authors or online sources mistakenly treated it as neuter, e.g.Joel Hallan's Biology Catalog. [10]
There is one extinct species † Sabacon claviger , known from Eocene Baltic amber. Another named species † Sabacon bachofeni also from Baltic amber was later revised as its junior synonym. [11] Staręga (2002: p. 602) [11] indicates that for all such the Baltic Amber material, "The Eocene locality fits into the present range of the genus Sabacon"
Sabaconidae belongs to the superfamily Ischyropsalidoidea. The family Sabaconidae originally consisted of just the genus Sabacon, though Taracus was later added to the family. Hesperonemastoma was later transferred in to further expand this family after molecular studies confirmed it was closely related to Taracus. However, a new family, Taracidae, was then erected for Hesperonemastoma and Taracus, leaving Sabaconidae restored once again with just a single genus (i.e. monogeneric). [12] Currently, Sabaconidae is thought to be more closely related to Taracidae than Ischyropsalididae. The internal relationships of Sabaconidae are poorly understood. [13]
Sabacon contains the following species, per World Catalog of Opiliones. [3] Of the 59 described species (as of 2023), two are further subdivided into subspecies.
The Opiliones are an order of arachnids colloquially known as harvestmen, harvesters, harvest spiders, or daddy longlegs. As of April 2017, over 6,650 species of harvestmen have been discovered worldwide, although the total number of extant species may exceed 10,000. The order Opiliones includes five suborders: Cyphophthalmi, Eupnoi, Dyspnoi, Laniatores, and Tetrophthalmi, which were named in 2014.
Dicranopalpus is a genus of harvestmen with twelve known recent species. Three fossil species have been described, all from Baltic amber, but only D. ramiger is currently considered valid.
Dyspnoi is a suborder of harvestmen, currently comprising 43 extant genera and 356 extant species, although more species are expected to be described in the future. The eight families are currently grouped into three superfamilies: the Acropsopilionoidea, Ischyropsalidioidea, and Troguloidea.
The Sclerosomatidae are a family of harvestmen with about 1,300 known species. One former subfamily has been recently removed to form a new family, Globipedidae.
Leiobunum is a genus of the harvestman family Sclerosomatidae with more than 100 described species. Contrary to popular belief, they are not spiders, although they share a resemblance. They are arachnids, in the order Opiliones, harvestmen. Species in Leiobunum tend to have relatively long legs compared with other harvestmen, and some species are gregarious.
The Sironidae are a family of harvestmen with more than 30 described species.
Nipponopsalididae is a family of harvestmen with three described species in one genus, Nipponopsalis, which is found in East Asia.
Ischyropsalididae is a family of harvestmen with 35 described species in 3 genera, found in Europe and North America.
The Nemastomatidae are a family of harvestmen with about 170 described species in 16 recent genera. Several fossil species and genera are known.
The Dicranolasmatidae are a family of harvestmen with 16 described species in a single genus, Dicranolasma.
Epedanidae is a family of the harvestman infraorder Grassatores with about 200 described species. They are the sister group of the Gonyleptoidea.
Sandokanidae is a family of harvestmen in the suborder Laniatores, formerly referred to as Oncopodidae
The Cladonychiidae are a small family of harvestman with about 33 described species, within the suborder Laniatores.
Taracus is a genus of harvestman, or Opiliones, typically found living in limestone and lava caves in the United States. They grow to a size of 2.0–5.5 mm (0.08–0.22 in).
Acuclavella is a genus of thorn harvestmen in the family Ischyropsalididae, found in the Pacific Northwest. There are about seven described species in Acuclavella.
Taracidae is a family of harvestmen in the order Opiliones. There are 4 genera and 23 described species in Taracidae.
Ortholasmatinae is a subfamily of harvestmen with 27 described species in 7 genera.
Nemastomatinae is a subfamily of harvestmen with 123 described species in 18 genera.
Ischyropsalidoidea is a superfamily of harvestmen with 9 genera, found in Europe and North America.
